Key Stage 1 SATs – Cancelled
Key Stage 1 SATs have been officially cancelled according to the Department for Education, who cited difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
What this means is that all Year 2 assessments will be cancelled including the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test. This is also to include science assessments. However, teachers have been told that assessment in reading, writing and maths will go ahead.
This has all come as a bit of a shock for many parents and teachers who have prepared themselves for the upcoming SAT’s. The assessments have previously been cancelled in 2020 and it has already been put out that the Key Stage 1 Sats will become non-statutory from 2023. However, this shows that 2021 will not go ahead due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
What does this mean for your child? Is there a concern? These questions are on most parents’ minds. Nothing about this year has been normal for children so this is no different. We are here to help you get those answers.
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What are the Year 2 SAT’s tests and why are they cancelled?
The Year 2 SAT’s was first founded back in 2016, children were assessed on what they had been taught during the Key Stage 1 curriculum. At the end of year 2, pupils were required to sit tests on:
Reading
This assessment is split into two papers:
- Paper one will include a selection of texts totalling 400-700 words
- Paper two will include a reading booklet with 800-1100 words
English grammar, punctuation and spelling
This assessment is split into two papers:
- Paper one will include a 20-word spelling test
- Paper 2 will include a grammar, punctuation and vocabulary test, in two sections of around 10 minutes each.
Maths
This assessment is split into two papers:
- Paper 1 will include arithmetic. This usually takes 15 minutes.
- Paper 2 will include mathematical fluency, problem-solving and reasoning
For more information, please visit the Government website
These were cancelled for the 2020 year 2 students and have now been officially scrapped in 2021. These assessments will no longer take place from 2023, this was due to ongoing dispute that SAT’s are not beneficial for the child
Please note: If your child was born before 31 August 2015 they will still be tested at the end of Year 2.
Consequences for cancelling the Key Stage 1 SATs
There are various opinions on this subject. Some have applauded this as teachers and schools have struggled with keeping up with the curriculum. There is also the idea that SAT’s will be causing unnecessary stress to children. Children like adults have had to come to terms with a new normal. Some have had difficult experiences during the lockdown.
Many have missed months of learning. There is no right answer here of concern. Some parents or teachers believe that the SAT’s should actually go ahead as it included some sort of normality.
We thought it would be a good idea to list the positives and negatives for you and you as a parent can make up your mind on whether this is a concern or not.
Positives
Let’s start with the positives. How can this be beneficial for your child?
Less stress: implementing this will be less stressful for your child, and even for you. This means you can focus on getting through this pandemic safely and not worry about how much your child will be assessed
Preparation: This year has not been an ideal year for preparation, and it is still an ongoing fight. We are still looking at the possibilities of future lockdown, future outbreaks. Which means more time away from preparing. Having this assessment eliminated may help more on focus on what is necessary
Digital Poverty: This is a crucial one; many families in the country do not have equal amounts of resources. When the country went on lockdown, many children went without education as they were not able to use remote learning. This assessment would highly unfair to those who live in digital poverty
What impact will the cancellation of the Key Stage 1 SATs have on your child?
Progress: Parents and teachers alike use SAT’s as a way to understand how pupils are progressing in school and what additional support they need. Hence, the cancellation of this would probably mean you won’t know your child’s progress or what they need help with.
School Improvement: These assessments also affect the schools themselves as they are an opportunity to do what they need to focus on to improve their teaching styles. Cancelling this may affect them.
Normality- If you agree with SAT’s or not, cancelling may not be the best idea as it still has that sense of normality which children at this moment are probably craving.
What should do you do as their parent?
If you do find this a concern and believe that your child will miss out on these assessments. You could write to your MP describing your concern for your child.
How can you help your child in light of the Key Stage 1 SATs being cancelled?
There are past previous SAT’s papers included on the government websites that you can do with your child. This may help you with tracking their progress. If you do still feel concerned about your child do not hesitate to contact Think Academy.
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Read more:
Problems with Maths? Here’s What to Do if Your Child is Struggling with Maths at Primary School
